


Forgotten Friend

by SakuraWolfGoddess



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen, Link and Sheik are friends, Link learns about his past lives, Male Sheik, Zelda and Sheik are separate people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-07 12:07:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14670771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraWolfGoddess/pseuds/SakuraWolfGoddess
Summary: When Link wakes up from his slumber, he meets the dead King of Hyrule and begins his journey to defeat Calamity Ganon. As Link goes through his journey, his amnesia begins to fade when he visits the locations from Zelda's photographs that were left in the sheikah slate. Slowly, Link remembers all his past friends... all except one.





	1. Chapter 1

In all of the Sheikah tribe the most unusual name belongs to me. Being named after my tribe might seem like a compliment to me, but it is actually an insult to my race. My mother chose that name to outcast me. I assume it is because she resents the Sheikah and despises the royal family.

For as long as I can recall, my mother has told me stories of millennia long since passed. Tales of our ancestral tribe and its oppression under the royal family have been her obsession and my unfortunate bedtime stories. I remember a tale that caused shivers to flow through my spine and all of my hairs to stand on end.

_A long forgotten King of Hyrule would use Sheikah women as his consorts. When they would bear children, the King would order his soldiers to slaughter his bastard young in a sickening display of celebration. Once he grew bored of this, he allowed the children to grow into adolescents and be trained with weapons. When they turned thirteen, they are released into an arena and must battle for their lives. None of them survived. Many of the Sheikah formed a coup and planned to overthrow the King, but they were discovered and murdered. Those that were clever and swift fled the kingdom the day before the slaughter, and they formed another tribe deep within a forest. It would be many years before they would be able to come out of hiding and join the kingdom again._

_Only Impa, the nursemaid of Princess Zelda, was spared. She was asked to raise and protect the princess, but unknown to the King, she taught Zelda the Sheikah history, language, and customs. Impa had the princess learn hidden Sheikah fighting techniques, so she would have the upper hand in any fight. The lullaby that she would sing to the princess every night was a Sheikah lullaby, to this day it is a sacred song that can grant you aid wherever you are. The skills learned by the princess helped her assist the Hero of Time in his quest to seal away Ganondorf. During the Hero’s seven year slumber, she had to hide herself from the King of Gerudo, and she chose to disguise herself as a Sheikah boy. It is said that she chose the disguise to thank Impa for her constant years of care._

_When the Gerudo King was sealed away, the princess stepped into her role as the reigning ruler and rebuilt the entire castle town with her surviving citizens. With her new responsibilities upon her, she quickly announced herself as Queen and began ruling her kingdom with a gentle hand, which was a drastic change from how her father ruled. The tribe of woodland Sheikah remained hidden until the Queen visited their village and begged for their forgiveness and assistance. The tribe had been so shocked to see a Queen clothed in silk and gold fall to her hands and knees in a symbol of apology. What sealed the deal for the Sheikah was when she began singing the lullaby that Impa had sang for her so long ago; the forest had gone so quiet that it was unnatural, but the silence was broken when the entirety of the tribe simultaneously dropped to one knee and placed their hands over their hearts. They could sense the knowledge within her, knowledge of their culture that was only given to those of their tribe, those who shared their blood or were so close that they could be called blood. The bowing was the Sheikah’s way of pledging their allegiance._

_The King was forgotten with the Queen's manipulations of history. Her shame for her father led her to burn the paper records of his cruelty, all the birth certificates of his bastard children were lost in the flames. The Hylians were never concerned about his misdeeds, so they had no qualms about the Queen burning the evidence of his wrongdoings. As long as the Hylians were in the concrete gates of castle town, they had no cares about the people outside the walls or outside their own race. The Hylians and the Queen were content to forget about the hidden horrors that happened inside the castle, but the Sheikah would never allow this great sin to go forgotten. For all the generations afterwards, the story of the Hylian King who waged a war with the Gerudo and murdered Sheikah children was embedded into the history. Whatever was forgotten by Hylians was common knowledge to the Sheikah._

I doubt my mother ever felt love for anything, including me. She felt too much hatred for there to be room for anything else. The hatred she felt for the royal family, and Hylians in general, is what fueled her skills in combat. My mother was avoided by most of the tribe, but whenever there was an attack on the village she would be the first to be called and the one put on the front lines. Her abrasive nature is also a deal breaker, I honestly have no idea how I was conceived considering my mother has never been close with anyone. I went to tribe leader Impa when I was five and asked about my father, but she refused to tell me anything; to this day, I have no idea who he was or what he did.


	2. Chapter 2

The Sheikah are very cultural and traditional when it comes to music. The old songs are passed down every generation, but that does not mean that new music is nonexistent in our culture. It is all up to an individual if they wish to create an original song. Whatever new song is created is special to the composer, but holds no traditional appeal to the tribe. The customary songs must be known by every member of the tribe, but they can be memorized in different ways. Some people hum, sing, or play an instrument. I can hum the song, but I prefer my harp.

            When I was seven years old, my mother gave me a kunai and a trunk of wood and told me to carve something. She disappeared in a puff of smoke and left me alone for the rest of the day. I had no idea what to carve, but I didn’t want to anger my mother so I placed the kunai against the trunk and started stripping away the outer bark. I don’t really remember what I did after that, I can just vaguely make out scraping sounds and wood shavings falling onto the ground. Suddenly my mother’s face appeared before me and she appeared surprised, most people wouldn’t be able to tell but I could make out the slight raise of her brows and the light that suddenly flashed in her eyes.

            “You made a harp?” the inflection in her voice told me that she was questioning my decision. It suddenly came to my attention that most children my age would likely create a spear or sword out of the wood, but I chose to make an instrument. I lowered my gaze to her feet and gradually lowered my body until my forehead eventually touched the ground as a symbol of concession.

            Out of nowhere, my mother squatted down in front of me and lifted my chin upwards to meet her smoldering crimson eyes. “Don’t you ever be sorry. You will go through life with many regrets if you stammer with apologies. This harp is now your possession, you used your own two hands to bring it into being. Use it with appreciation.” Without another word, my mother stood up and disappeared into smoke once again.

            I had never heard such inspirational words from my mother, much less actual acknowledgement of my wishes and desires. For the first time in my life, I let a small smile stretch its way across my normally expressionless face. I grasped my harp in my right hand and felt the creased, splintered wood beneath my palm. I felt my smile grow slightly wider as I traced the natural pattern warped in the wood. I made my way into our small, cold house with nothing but warmth in my chest.


	3. Chapter 3

Absentmindedly plucking at my harp, I hummed Zelda’s Lullaby in a low baritone. I softly ran my fingers across the carved wood. Long ago I had chosen to carve the symbol of the goddess into the body of the harp. When I had done so, my mother was once again astonished at my choice of design but decided to say nothing. Usually I would be more aware of my surroundings, but I was distracted by the details of the dream I had last night.

* * *

 

            I was lying in a grassy field with my hands behind my head, just lazily gazing upon the bright blue sky of Hyrule. I wasn’t in the confining area of the Sheikah Village, but I couldn’t make out where I was. When I stood up I could only see endless green with no defining landmarks anywhere. I quickly did a one eighty and came face to face with a set of big blue eyes and tousled blond hair loosely tied in a low ponytail. His garb consisted of boring beige pants and knee boots, but his shirt was interesting. His shirt matched his eyes, both being as blue as the sky above, with white embroidery that formed into a sword on his chest. He was just standing still and staring at me with a look of happiness. Then his eyes shifted to the left side of me, as I turned I saw a woman of obviously royal descent. She seemed like a mirror of the boy, with golden hair and bright blue eyes. She was clothed in a white dress with the golden goddess symbol on it. I have no idea how she managed to stand right next to me without my knowledge.

            Both she and the boy simultaneously turned their heads to look over at a man with dark olive skin and vibrant red hair, obviously from the Gerudo race. He was massive, standing at a frightening seven foot six inches tall. He truly was a sight to behold, a stark contrast to the two blond haired, blue eyed twins. A dark mist surrounded the Gerudo man, he transformed before my very eyes. He was tall before, but now he was massive! He was no longer a man, but a beast! A colossal boar with fur the color of blood and tusks comparable to mountains. The boy suddenly had a sword in his hand, a shining blade with a purple handle. The girl clasped her hand together and a golden light engulfed her. All of us were standing equally apart from one another, ready for battle, then we were being replaced with the golden majesty that was the Triforce.

* * *

 

            I woke up in a cold sweat. What the hell was that? Could it be a message from the goddesses? But which one would send such a message? The most likely messenger is Hylia, she has been known to send messages to people from her place at the edge of time, but why would she send such a message to me? I am not special. I am a fatherless Sheikah boy in a tribe of warriors who look at me with pity in their eyes, like they know something I don’t. If this is a message from Hylia, I need to tell Impa about it. I may not partake in this destiny, but I can give warning to the royal family and all of Hyrule of this calamity.


	4. Chapter 4

           My village is very small because it is not meant to hold the entire tribe, only the elderly and expecting families. Its location remains a secret from the rest of the world; the entrances are hidden with Sheikah magic to prevent people from mistakenly wandering into town. There is an apparel shop, an inn, a market, and an archery store. In the very edge of town lies the home of Impa, our tribe leader. It is a moderate house, but more glamorous than the other homes surrounding it; with a waterfall that falls into a giant pond around it.  An important home for an important woman.

            I nodded to the two guards stationed on either side of the staircase and opened the double doors of Impa’s abode. Impa was seated lotus style on her platform, eyes closed and breathing steadily; I guess I interrupted her usual meditation routine. I quickly dropped to my knees and bowed my head. With a final exhale, Impa lazily opened her eyes and glanced at me with an almost bemused expression.

            “To what do I owe the pleasure, Sheik?” Her tone was all business. I only visited Impa one other time, and that was to question the origin of my father; Impa knows that I would only visit with something important.

            I raised my head and met her eyes. “I believe that I had a prophetic dream from the goddess Hylia.” The mention of the goddess caused Impa to lean forward with interest.

            “Hylia? What was your dream about?” I told her everything, and Impa’s expression darkened; her brow furrowed and her lips pursed as if she had eaten a sour grape. “Thank you for this information Sheik. You were right to bring this to me, but your role in this situation has not yet been fulfilled. I need you to come with me to meet the royal family of Hyrule.”

            My whole body tensed as if I had been hit by a shock arrow. It is not like I had never been out of the village, but to be inside a town filled with people who mean nothing to me is not on my to-do list. I seldom interact with people in my village, let alone socialize with complete strangers. Whenever I left the village, I wouldn’t wander far. I could usually be found lounging around in the grassy fields next to the horses. I would feed them apples and carrots, but I would only attempt to ride them if I felt they completely trusted me. I treat all animals with respect, including those I hunt. I always give thanks to the animal for its nourishment before I eat my fill, and I never hunt more than I need. Greed and pride are the most common predators of man.

            Impa rose from her cushion and straightened her posture so she would resemble an oak tree: tall, firm, and a force to be reckoned with. “Gather your things. The vision you had must be presented to the King at once. Princess Zelda must be prepared for her destiny. The hero must also be trained thoroughly, I have no doubt that you will be an excellent teacher to him.”

            What exactly is running though her head? I have no desire to leave my home to present a lackluster fever dream to a set of people who claim to rule over everything, but somehow manage to control nothing.

            My protests would be futile, so I nodded and took my leave through the double doors. I made my way into my home and proceeded to pack what little belongings I own. The house seemed so empty. This is the first time I have felt this way; I didn’t even feel like this when my mother left! I grabbed a small burlap sack and filled it with two extra pairs of clothes. I fitted a line of daggers across my hips, and secured my harp to the other side of my hip. I traced my fingers over the goddess symbol that I had etched into the wood so long ago; gods, how much time has passed since then? The years I have spent alone have become dust before my very eyes. All that time spent, and I have no idea what I could’ve done differently… or if I would. I have absolutely no family left; or friends, for that matter. My mother had left for the Yiga clan years ago, and I have done nothing but train in her absence. My father… well, what father? I don’t even have the man’s name, let alone where to find him. I never realized it, but I have always been alone… no… now is not the time to think of this. Impa is waiting for me.

            With my daggers and harp placed securely in my belt, and my burlap sack of clothes thrown over my shoulder, I glance back at my home one last time. It looked so small. I could make out the divots in the doorframe; marking my growth until I was nine, because I was alone for every year afterwards… but that was a long time ago. I have a new mission to occupy myself and I plan to see it through, no matter how much I wish to plant myself into my bed and never set foot outside again.

            I step outside and close the door to my home for the last time.


End file.
